Anil Kapoor: 'I'm at the best phase of my career right now'

The uber tastefully designed office, chock-a-block with paintings and cushioned sofas, is buzzing with activity. A day before, Anil Kapoor has announ-ced the shoot of Season 2 of the slick action series 24, adapted from the long-running American show toplining Kiefer Sutherland.
What Sutherland does by way of safeguarding the national security of the US, Mr India does for his country, risking life, limb and the well-being of his family. Here's the sort of content that's targeted at entertainment with a cause. So why the two year-furlough in rebooting the next season, I ask, while accepting a cup of coffee which actually tastes like how coffee should: strong.
"Trust you to ask a negative question," moans producer-actor Kapoor, whom I've known ever since he was striving to find a toehold in show business.

"See, I've to balance my film and TV commitments. A show like 24 requires at least a couple of years of 'prep' and scripting. In the first season, my character, Jaisingh Rathore, was trying to save the life of the future Prime Minister. We have added an intriguing element now. For starters, the viewers will wonder why Jaisingh is behaving strangely. What's his agenda?"
So could he spell out this intrigue? "Please, you're forcing me to go into the spoiler alert zone," he winces. "All I will reveal is that Jaisingh could have hit the bottle, he emerges from rehab, he has matured and is more responsible towards his family."
Talk is that Tabu will portray his wife. True? To deflect my curiosity, he shuffles a plate of cookies towards me, and looks away, "Yes, talks are on. I don't want to encourage any speculation till all the actors' contracts are signed, sealed and delivered."
Actually, Kapoor tolerates my nosey tendencies; he always has. Bring up the point that although Season 1 was widely praised by the critics and the cognoscenti, the TRP ratings didn't quite match up. "Says who?" he reacts. "Drink your coffee, chill!"

When I persist with the TRP stuff, he explains patiently, "Believe me, the ratings were pretty good, way beyond our expectations. It's like when 1942: A Love Story, Parinda and Lamhe were first released. they were discounted ?as average earners. But all these films proved to have longer legs; they have done extremely well in the long run. And the very fact that I'm doing a ?second season should silence all my detractors, including yourself. From the word go, 24 amassed a loyal viewership, besides earning solid ad revenue. The creators of the original show in America loved what they saw. I didn't get any flak, except from jealous people like you!"
Anil Kapoor likes to banter, which is why he's ideal interview material. Quick on the uptake before I can complete the sentence that Slumdog Millionaire had made him hot property globally but now Irrfan Khan has become the flavour of the season, he retorts, "Really? I thought Priyanka Chopra is the flavour of the season with Quantico. Tell me if I'm wrong."
Right! Next: what's up with his multi-media production company's Indian version of the TV series Modern Family? "I've acquired the rights, yes," he states. "It's a work in progress. Meanwhile, there's the bug about producing films too. Rhea (his daughter) is about to ink a deal with a corporate house for our next film, which is in her charge totally. As an actor, I'm sorting out my time schedules. After this year's Dil Dhad-akne Do and Welcome Back, I'm being offered all genres: action, drama and even romance."
Okay, so his Dil Dhadakne Do was quite an extraordinary twist in his career. He didn't shy away from playing dad to Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh. Does he expect to be applauded at the upcoming award season? A frown and then he laughs, "That depends entirely on the collective decision of the juries. After all, it's all fair in love and awards, isn't it?"
He's being barraged by calls on his mobile; he answers calls as if he's known every caller for years. "Sorry for the break," he returns to synopsise his current work ethic. "Honestly, I bel-ieve I'm at the best phase of my career right now. I do one film at a time. It's not like the 1980s and 90s, when ?actors would go crazy speeding from one studio to another. To survive in the business today, you have to focus, without being greedy about making quick money."